Garment-clasp.



No. 875,797. PATENTED JAN. v, 1908. M. B. GARDNER.

GARMENT CLASP.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 10,1905.

Wimcied l'ru/mfvr WM (f). W J

1n: NORRIS PETERS co., WASHINGTON, a. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARSHALL B. GARDNER, OF AURORA, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO S. FLORSHEIM &SON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A FIRM GARME NT-GLASP Specification ofLetters Patent.

Patented Jan. '7, 1908.

Application filed May 1905. Serial No. 259.760.

I NER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Aurora, in the countyof Kane, State of Illinois, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Garment Clasps, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to that class of garment clasps in which a singlethickness or a fold of fabric is wedged between two members in such amanner that the fabric is held by the wedging engagement of the members,instead of by a penetration of the material.

There are certain well known objections to the v resent devices, such asthat comprising a ru ber-headed button and a pear-shaped loop, arisingout of the flexibility of the button sup ort and the small frictionalengagement a orded, which allows a longitudinal movement of the looprelative to the button, causingthe clasp to become unfastened ordetached.

In my construction, I avoid the difficulties above mentioned, andprovide a garment clasp of simple and economical construction, in whichthe fabric is securely held without injury and the longitudinal movementof the two members obviated.

To these ends my invention consists chiefly in the provision of aholding member of novel form to be used in place of the headed button,and my invention consists in said holding member in combination with anysuitable form of clasp member to cooperate therewith.

My invention further consists, in the preferred form, in a base plate orholding member having curved flanges and combined with a longitudinallyoperating clasp member adapted to clamp a thickness of the fabricbetween it and said flanges, the two being constructed to produce awedging effect whereby the fabric is securely held.

The structural features of my improvements may be somewhat varied, but Ihave shown in the accompanying drawings an efficient embodiment thereof.

In the drawings,Figure 1 is a plan view of my clasp attached by theusual loop to a section of elastic webbing provided with a slidingclasp; Fig. 2 is an edge view with the members separated and showing aportion of fabric inserted between the two members Fig. 3 is an edgeview with the members engaged; Fig. 4 1s a longitudinal sectionalelevation designed to show the fabric in wedged position; Fig. 5 is across section on the line 55 of Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a plan view of thetongue.

In the drawings, 14 represents a section of elastic webbing providedwith the usual buckle 15 and loop 16, which is provided with theapertures 17 and 18, to which the elastic 14 and the base plate 19 maybe attached, the base plate being connected to the loop in any desiredmanner, for example by means of webbing passing through the apertures 20and 21.

22 and 23 are clamping flanges of the base plate 19, and they may have acoating of rubber, as shown at 24. The clasp member may be in the formof a tongue or loop 16 provided with bulged portions 25 and 26, whichprevent a longitudinal movement of the two members when the loop ispulled backward and the parts are fully engaged. Both the flangesand-the sides of the loop are of wedge construction, i. (1., theyconverge rearwardly. As constructed, when the device is applied themembers are separated as shown in Fig. 2, and a single thickness or foldof the fabric, as indicated at 27, is inserted between them. The partsare then closed by pressing the neck portion 16 of the tongue member andthe fabric between the flanges 22 and 23. The tongue member is thendrawn backward, wedging the fabric against the sides of the flanges,until the bulged portions pass the ends 28 of the flanges, which firmlylocks the device against longitudinal movement.

While I prefer to provide the flangeswith curved interior surfaceshaving a rubber facing, it is obvious that the interior curve is notessential and may be varied without departing from the spirit of myinvention.

While I prefer to construct the loop member out of an elastic orresilient material, thus aiding its grip upon the flanges, it is obviousthat it might be constructed out of inelastic material.

It will be observed that in the forms of construction shown, as well asin others falling within the spirit of my invention, there is providedtwo cooperating members so constructed and related to each other as toprovide an extended bearing surface, the clamping being effected inlines substantially parallel to the line of strain, instead of at anangle thereto as in the ordinary fastener or clasp having a'button orequivalent device and a loop provided with a closed end.

I claim:

In a garment clasp, a base member having converging inturned flanges, incombination with aspring clasp member, the sides of which are alsoconverging and provided with bulged portions at the bottom of the neckportion to prevent longitudinal movement of saidv members when in lockedposition, the neck portion of said spring clasp member being of lesswidth than the least distance between the inner edges of said inturnedflanges and adapted to press the fabric between said flanges, wherebythe fabric is wedged between said members upon a forward movement ofsaid base member or a backward movement of said spring clasp member,substantially as described.

MARSHALL B. GARDNER.

Witnesses:

O. C. LINTHIcUM, JAMEs R. OFFIELD.

